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Home Blog Page 26

Presonus Studio One 4

By
Bryan
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PreSonus is shipping Studio One 4, a major update to the company’s award-winning, easy-to-use DAW that combines the best of the traditional recording studio model with the modern methods of creating beat- and groove-oriented music.

Top-of-the-line Studio One 4 Professional’s new Harmonic Editing features give you freedom to try out harmonies, transpositions, and chord progressions. The Chord Track goes far beyond a simple chord track for note data, working with instrument tracks and audio tracks for fast, efficient, multi-dimensional arranging and transposition. An ingenious Chord Selector makes it easy to experiment with new chord patterns and ideas. Built-in chord detection extracts chords from audio or instrument tracks. The combination of Harmonic Editing and Studio One’s Arranger Track and Scratch Pads makes Studio One the most flexible program ever for arranging and testing out new song ideas.

The step sequencer has served us well but it’s time for a fresh approach. Studio One Patterns, found in all editions of Studio One 4, integrate with Instrument Parts and automation, offering many more expressive possibilities than typical step sequencers. Patterns can live side-by-side with conventional Instrument Parts on the same track.

Studio One 4’s Musical Editor adds deeper editing features, speeds up the editing workflow, and simplifies recurring tasks. An innovative, streamlined Drum Editor enables editing drum parts as fast as you can think. Control over note events is greatly enhanced. Note event editing options also have been updated and extended. The powerful Macro system now offers added flexibility.

New in Studio One Artist and Studio One Professional, Impact XT adds more than 20 new features, transforming the Impact drum module into a complete production environment for beats and loops. Sample One XT has expanded from sample playback into a sampling powerhouse and features a wealth of synthesis-type options. In addition, you can drag-and-drop samples between Sample One XT and Impact XT and exchange samples with instruments like Presence XT using a common exchange file format.

PreSonus worked with Celemony on the original Audio Random Access (ARA) spec that allows for seamless integration with Melodyne. Studio One 4 is ready for ARA 2.0, which provides access to data from multiple tracks. Version 4 also eases the process of switching from other DAWs to Studio One by supporting AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) for data exchange with Pro Tools, Logic, Nuendo, Final Cut Pro, Premiere, and more.

Street prices are: Studio One 4 Professional $399.95; Studio One 4 Artist $99.95. Upgrades and crossgrades are also available. For more information, visit www.presonus.com/products/Studio-One.

iZotope Creative Suite and Vocal Synth 2 Now Available

By
Bryan
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When iZotope said, “very soon” they weren’t joking! The next evolution of iZotope’s complete interactive ecosystem of plugins is here with Vocal Synth 2. With a complete overhaul and updated interface, this tool could be all you need in your vocal effects tool kit.

iZotope, Inc., the experts in intelligent audio technology, released VocalSynth 2 and the iZotope Creative Suite. VocalSynth 2 offers an immersive vocal experience that adapts and evolves with a user’s unique style. iZotope Creative suite is a collection of exciting, inspiring products including Iris 2, Trash 2 Expanded, BreakTweaker Expanded, Stutter Edit, DDLY, Mobius Filter, and VocalSynth 2. With this release iZotope brings music production into the next evolution of vocal processing and a new suite of creative tools.

VocalSynth continues to offer music producers tools to take a mix through past, present, and future vocal sounds with five  vocal processors including Vocoder, Compuvox, Polyvox, Talkbox, and now Biovox: a brand new effect based on the sonic qualities of the human vocal tract. iZotope has re-engineered VocalSynth to sound better, perform better, and provide a better result faster. New and updated effects can be found in the stompbox section including: Chorus, a commonly used vocal effect in vocal production and Ring Mod, a new ring modulator with a hint of tremolo. The  Shred effect also offers extensive improvements that make it more powerful for chopping, slicing, and achieving beat repeating effects.

“In its first iteration, VocalSynth was a go-to for getting the creative vocal effects emusic producers know and love inspired by decades of vocal production styles ,” says Kim Pfluger, Product Marketing Manager at iZotope. “ VocalSynth 2 builds on this by incorporating user feedback and pushing boundaries into a fun, new space of what vocal  plug-ins can do to shape new sounds in vocal production.”

The latest module in VocalSynth 2,Biovox, is a completely new effect based on a physical model of the human vocal tract, whose shape is continuously changing according to the input vocal signal providing a relatively neutral, clean-sounding modulation.  Biovox is built to sound great across multiple genres with vowel replacement which makes cleaner-than-human, modern phrasing possible.

Inter-plugin communication was first introduced in Neutron 2 and Ozone 8 allowing iZotope plug-ins to communicate across different tracks in a mix.VocalSynth represents the next step in this journey. Now users can explore even more creative possibilities with the ability to better understand the context of a track in a larger mix.  VocalSynth will be visible in Neutron 2’s Masking Meter and Visual Mixer as well as in Tonal Balance Control.

 

VocalSynth 2 Key features

  • Biovox: Using scientific modeling of a human vocal tract, adjust human vocal characteristics like nasality, vowel shapes, and formants for a smooth, textural vocal treatment to any audio signal.
  • Stompbox-style effects: VocalSynth 2’s effects include two brand new pedal-style effects: Chorus and Ring Mod with a unique tremolo effect. Now drag to re-order all seven effects including an improved Shred with sequencer as well as Distort, Filter, Transform, and Delay.
  • 3 ways to play: VocalSynth 2 is built to be flexible, giving you three ways to interact and create: Auto Mode, MIDI Mode, and Sidechain Mode.
  • Inter-plugin communication: Use VocalSynth 2 within Neutron 2’s Visual Mixer and Masking Meter, as well as Tonal Balance Control for a bird’s eye view of your music production at all times.
  • Extensive sonic enhancements to the Vocoder module as well as Talkbox, Polyvox, and Compuvox that improve usability, CPU utilization, and sound quality.
  • Reimagined interface with deep control: VocalSynth 2 includes a brand new, modern interface and the addition of advanced  synthesizer controls for each individual module. Paired with a fluid, evolving visualization, VocalSynth 2 is primed for hours of creativity with you at the helm.

Pricing and Availability

VocalSynth 2 and iZotope Creative Suite  are now available at www.izotope.com and select retailers. VocalSynth 2 will also be available Rent-to-Own through Splice for $9.99/per month.

All new products are on sale now through June 28, 2018:

  • VocalSynth 2 is available for $149 USD (reg. $199), £139.00 (reg. £179.00),  €149.00 (reg. €199.00)
  • iZotope Creative Suite is available for $349 USD (reg. $499),  £319.00 (reg. £449.00),  €349.00 (reg. €499.00)
  • Upgrade pricing can be found in individual user’s account information

Zynaptiq Releases FREE Subspace Reverb Plugin

By
Bryan
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Who doesn’t love free? Especially when it is the likes of Zynaptiq. Subspace takes elements from each reverb plugin and places them in one easy to use interface. All you have to do is sign up for their email newsletter.

Hannover, May 26th, 2018: Zynaptiq announces the immediate availability of a new reverb plugin, SUBSPACE.

SUBSPACE is a super-lush sounding, and totally streamlined reverb plugin.
Based on the allpass reverb module found in the acclaimed MORPH 2, WORMHOLE and ADAPTIVERB plugins, it features just two controls: a switch that selects one of four presets, and a dry-wet control. Adding (inter-)stellar reverb to your sound was never easier!

SUBSPACE is free and available exclusively to Zynaptiq newsletter subscribers.

To get a copy, future users can simply opt in to Zynaptiq’s newsletter when downloading any update or trial installer from the Zynaptiq website – for example the trial for the advanced harmonic resynthesis reverb ADAPTIVERB – or when registering a purchased plugin. After opt-in, an email containing a confirmation link will be sent, and upon confirmation, a license and download URLs will be provided.

 

Existing Newsletter subscribers have been emailed with a confirmation link earlier today. For more information please visit

https://www.zynaptiq.com/subspace

Review: Mango by Ploytec and Intelligent Sounds and Music

By
Bryan
-
5 / 5 Reviewer
Buy: $80
Pros
Easy to use interface
Mid / Side Capability
Sounds Great
Cons
No cons but it could use a wet / dry control so more extreme settings can be blended
Summary
Whether you are a novice or pro, this plugin will fit perfectly in your workflow. The ease of use makes dialing in the sweet spot a breeze.
Rating

Here at Everything Recording HQ, we maintain a “whatever it takes to get the mix right” approach to audio and welcome any plugin that accomplishes this task. Mango is the self-described “sweetener” of plugins. I had actually not heard of Ploytec or Intelligent Sounds and Music until a press release showed up in my inbox. Immediately intrigued by the concept and interface, I grabbed a copy and did a little research on the company.

Mango is another joint venture from the company Intelligent Sounds and Music and Ploytec. The initial joint venture was Aroma, a plugin that has 4 different harmonic distortion models based on valve and tape hardware. Each of these 4 models can be controlled independently to blend different harmonics into the audio. After this plugin was developed, the creators continued to push the envelope to make a smaller brother to Aroma that contained an ideal transmission curve. Thus, Mango was born.

While Mango is based on various pieces of analog hardware, it is not based on one in particular. Instead, the best parts of tube and tape hardware has been incorporated to impart just the right amount saturation and warmth to digital mixes. The science behind it involves adding specific non-linear distortion curves to affect the incoming signal. The result is various odd and even order harmonics being combined to give the track all of the same facets of analog hardware. What Mango does accomplish is leaving all of the grunt work behind the scenes and giving the user minimal controls.

Upon opening Mango, you will see a pleasantly bright yellow interface, a nice departure from the serious looking dark colored, glossy plugins everyone is making nowadays. If using a demo version, Mango will definitely make you aware of this with a flinty, female voice proudly letting everyone know this is a “Mango demo version”. This can be pretty annoying when playing with a mix trying to determine if you want to buy the plugin, but a slight distraction nonetheless. After all, it’s just a demo.

While the bulk of the power comes from the “Fruit” control, other tools are present to allow Mango to process the audio to its best ability. Incorporating a hard clip limiter, the input and output section allow for trimming the signal to optimum levels. To make determining the proper level a cinch, the input knob will display a red ring around it to indicate the signal is above 0dB. Just next to the input and output volume controls sit the 3/18 buttons. With these button, either a +/- 3dB or 18dB range control can be used with each knob. Just be careful switching between the 3 or 18dB as each setting doesn’t retain its memory. What doesassist with this is the Compare / Remind buttons lined up just above the input. These 3 buttons allow for different presets to be saved to switch between. To make everything even easier, hovering over a control will display its function at the top of the interface.

While this plugin has one main function and is every bit a one knob plugin, Mango does something that most other plugins of the same type don’t: mid / side processing. By allowing the control of either the center of the sound field or the stereo left and right, further enhancement can be applied to tracks to add space to the instruments in the far corners or more presence to a vocal track in the center. When Mid / Side is enabled, two “Fruit” knobs appear, each with independent control of how much impact is wanted. Processing on either the mid or the side can be enabled with the red bypass buttons in the “Fruit” section.

Mango has one main control, and that control is basically “more”. While the plugin itself refers to this control as “Fruit”, the objective is simple – turn this control up, and the track sounds better. This is accomplished using different harmonic enhancers borrowing from analog tube, tape and the aforementioned hard clip limiting. All of the hard work has been taken care of by Ploytec, leaving you with the fun work of just determining how much impact is needed on tracks.

In operation I found Mango to do exactly what it advertises. When levels are dialed in optimally, a very smooth top end with a hint of low-mid is applied that helps even out harsh parts on a track. Combine this with mid/side functionality and Mango really opens up different sonic possibilities. Using the Mid “Fruit” control, I was able to have vocals step just the right amount of forward in the mix. Using the Side “Fruit” control, synths would jump out of the corners of the mix.

I tried Mango in just about any scenario and the results always improved the character of the track, BUT with plugins like these, it is very easy to use too much because of how great it sounds. I suggest turning the “Fruit” control up until you can just hear it, then back it off just a little. It is very easy to fall in love with this plugin and apply it everywhere in copious amounts, only to find that too much of a great thing can render the track a little too hyped in the top end. This can only attribute to how great the plugin sounds and is a pitfall of many plugins of this genre. Moderation is key… Except when it’s not…

Conversely, I found a use for Mango beyond just the sweet, subtle enhancement. On drum tracks, both acoustic and electronic, I would crank the input, attenuate the output equally and push dial in the “Fruit” control into clipping. The result was very unique. Transients would pretty much maintain their snappiness, but undertones would rip apart in glorious distortion. Kick drum low end would magically shoot out of the speakers and the top end would sizzle and distort. While this isn’t necessarily the goal of Mango and would not work on every track, it is a great byproduct that can add new dimension to a drum kit. I just wish I had a wet dry knob at the end of the signal chain, so I could tuck just the right amount of dirt into the track without using an aux bus.

I had absolutely no critiques of Mango. This plugin easily will find its way on countless tracks in a mix. The mid/side control is a welcome addition to a plugin of this type and the ease of use makes it one of those plugins that will be reached for in a pinch. Do not let fruit be a missing part of a balanced DAW diet. Every mix needs a little Mango.

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.ploytec.com/mango/

Warm Audio WA73 Series

By
Bryan
-

I’m not sure what happened folks but we had a post scheduled for this groundbreaking product but it never showed up on our site. Anyways…
Warm Audio began with the WA-12 and quickly rose through the ranks, providing equal playing ground by developing boutique quality tools within the average consumer’s reach. Now, the day has finally come where the very brands that introduced Bryce and I together have Warm Audio counterparts. Behold the WA73 Line!

If there’s one style of preamp that professional engineers would unanimously agree has defined the tone of pop/rock records for decades, it would most definitely be the venerable ’73-style of mic pre. ’73-style preamps have been massively used in recording and live applications for many years and are still considered to be the “Holy Grail” of preamp choices today.  The Warm Audio “WA73 Family” consists of single and dual channel ’73-style preamps (with & w/out EQ), that each pay careful homage to British audio history.

When we at Warm Audio decided to release the WA273-EQ it was imperative that it met vintage expectation in both design and performance.  The tone and sweet character that vintage ’73-style mic preamps impart is so unique and familiar, that we had only the pure desire to release sonically accurate reproductions. After years of R&D, careful reverse-engineering, and countless hours of auditioning, the WA273-EQ has been born!

The WA273-EQ is a “Desert Island” boutique preamp, but it can also be classified as a studio and live work-horse.  Classic ’73-style preamps are known for being versatile tools that work with all kinds of microphones from Condenser, to Dynamic, to Ribbon.  The WA273-EQ equally shines on all types of microphones and sources including; vocals, acoustic/electric guitars, bass, drums, percussion, orchestras, keyboards, and even as a tone shaping tool to run partial or complete mixes through.  With 80dB of gain and a fully discrete Carnhill Transformer balanced signal path, there’s no recording, mixing or engineering task that the WA273-EQ can’t handle.

These units come in Preamp only or Preamp EQ channel strips in either 1 or 2 Channel models
Price:
WA-73 1 Ch: $599 / 2 Ch $999
WA-73 EQ 1 Ch: $799 / 2 Ch $1499
For more info visit https://www.warmaudio.com/microphone-preamps

Propellerhead Releases Reason 10.1 with Europa Synth

By
Bryan
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Propellerhead Software today released Reason 10.1, the newest update to the award-winning Reason music production software. Reason 10.1 is a free update for Reason 10 owners that features sample loading in Reason’s flagship Europa synth, which provides a powerful new way for creating stunning sounds while maintaining its easy-to-use interface. Reason 10.1 also supports Rack Extension SDK 3, allowing developers to create new and better Rack Extensions, including Player devices. For a limited-time, Reason 10 owners can also get the new Drum Sequencer for free – a Player built on the new Rack Extension platform that makes beat creation intuitive, blazing-fast and fun.
“Reason 10.1 is an exciting update for both music makers and Rack Extension developers,” stated Mattias Häggström Gerdt, Propellerhead Product Manager. “For Reason owners, loading samples in Europa greatly expands its already wide palette of sounds, and the new Drum Sequencer is the perfect partner for sequencing Kong or your favorite drum plug-in. For developers, they can now create Rack Extension Players, adding new creative ways to perform, sequence and create with the instruments you already have.” 
Reason 10.1 brings powerful new functionality to Europa, Reason’s flagship synthesizer. Now you can load any sample and use it as your waveform in Europa’s engines. Or load a sample in the Spectral Filter section and use the sample as the filter’s spectral multiplier. This new functionality offers endless sound possibilities and brings Europa to the forefront of creative synthesis. 
Released in October 2017 with Reason 10, Europa is an infinitely powerful spectral wavetable synthesizer plugin with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface. With three independent synthesis engines, advanced spectral filtering, endless modulation options and over 500 presets from leading sound designers, Europa will cut through your mixes with its crisp, clear and truly powerful sound.
Reason 10.1 also supports further development for the Rack Extension plug-in platform. Rack Extension developers can now create new Player devices to join the popular Scales & Chords, Note Echo and Dual Arpeggio Players. The Propellerhead Shop features several brand new Players from third-party developers and Propellerhead, including the new Drum Sequencer. Add this Player to any instrument in the Reason rack and you’ll have quick and easy pattern-style drum programming for your favorite devices. Creative features such as step repeats, probability settings per step, time resolution per track and more make the new eight-track Drum Sequencer a joy to work with. Drum Sequencer is free for Reason 10 owners until May 31, 2018.  
Pricing and Availability
Reason 10.1 is a free update for all Reason 10 owners and is currently available for free through Reason’s auto update.
Drum Sequencer Player is available for free for Reason 10 owners for a limited time and can be downloaded from Propellerhead’s shop. Offer ends May 31, 2018.
Players are now available in the Propellerhead Shop and can be purchased by all users who own Reason 10.
Reason 10 is available as a direct download via https://www.propellerheads.se or from an authorized dealer at the following suggested retail pricing:
  • Reason Intro: USD $99 MSRP / EUR €79 MSRP
  • Reason 10: USD $399 / EUR €349
  • Reason 10 Upgrade (from any previous Reason version): USD $129 / EUR €129 
Visit www.propellerheads.se for further details.

Roland Announces New Products with TD-17 Series V-Drums

By
Bryan
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On top of the new V-Drums TD-17, Roland has also announce a new Life-like looking Kick Drum and impact isolating kick pedals.
Roland announces the TD-17 series, the latest addition to the acclaimed V-Drums lineup. Combining flagship-level sound with newly developed pads, the TD-17KVX, TD-17KV, and TD-17K-L kits deliver an experience that’s authentically close to playing acoustic drums, accurately mirroring the physical movement, stick coordination, and hand/foot control that every drummer needs. They also include integrated access to an array of motivational coaching functions, plus built-in Bluetooth® for playing along with songs and video lesson content streamed wirelessly from a smartphone. For home-based players who are serious about taking their drumming to the next level, there’s no better choice than a TD-17 series kit.

When using a TD-17 series instrument, drummers can play with the same techniques they’d use on acoustic drums, freely and without compromise. At the heart of each kit is the new TD-17 sound module, which provides a superior drumming experience with advanced Prismatic Sound Modeling inherited from Roland’s top-of-the-line TD-50. Its sounds faithfully reproduce the character and tone of acoustic drums, with lightning-fast response time, wide dynamic range, and natural tonal changes that vary depending on where and how hard the pads are played.
The TD-17KVX and TD-17KV kits come with the new PDX-12 snare pad, which features a dual mesh head and large 12-inch playing surface that supports the development of stick control and proper playing techniques. The head tension can be adjusted for satisfying natural rebound, while the height of the snare hoop enables the player to hit open rim shots with a natural stick angle.
The TD-17KVX also includes the new VH-10 V-Hi-Hat, which mounts on an acoustic hi-hat stand and replicates the natural feel and swinging motion of a real hi-hat cymbal. Offering advanced triggering with continuous open/close detection and bow/edge sounds, the VH-10 allows users to execute traditional playing techniques to perfection.
All three kits in the TD-17 series include the new KD-10 kick pad, which combines rock-solid feel with a noise-reducing design that offers quiet operation while playing at home. The KD-10 can be used with any standard kick pedal, and supports dual pedals as well.
The TD-17 module includes 50 ready-to-play kits suitable for any music style, plus a wide range of easy-to-use training functions that encourage skill development and make practice fun and productive. Players can improve their time with various Coach Mode exercises, use the warm-up menu to work through a daily exercise routine, and capture progress with the onboard recorder. And by pairing their smartphone via Bluetooth, they can wirelessly stream audio from songs and video lesson content through the module and play along. The TD-17 also integrates with Melodics for V-Drums, a Windows/Mac software application that offers a growing selection of free drum lessons to develop rhythm, timing, and muscle memory.

To learn more about the TD-17 series V-Drums, visit www.Roland.com.

Review: A-Designs REDDI by Kush

By
Bryan
-
REDDI Rundown
5 / 5 Reviewer
Buy: $49.00
Pros
- Quickly dial in perfect low-end and drive
- Very few controls but extremely powerful
Cons
- None
Summary
Any track lacking oomph NEEDS this plugin. While most plugins that deal with low-end add sub frequencies, many do not add character. REDDI adds the bottom end you need with style!
Rating

In their continued partnership, Kush is proud to announce a new Tube D.I Plugin, REDDI. In order to celebrate the release, we’ve been given the keys to test drive out the plugin and see what it’s all about. For a review of the previously released A-Designs Hammer by Kush, visit HERE

REDDI (Pronounced “ready”) is the latest release from Kush Audio’s line of A-Design inspired plugins. In a rather unorthodox approach for most plugin developers, UBK (Gregory Scott) has decided to create a plugin of an often-overlooked piece of gear in the studio – the direct box. I have to be honest, if any other manufacturer would have released a product of this type, I would have probably written it off as a cash grab, but since we’re dealing with the makers of the Transformer Suite (some of the greatest transformer saturation plugins I’ve ever used), I can definitely give it a fair shot.

A half-assed Google search revealed my suspicions that there aren’t many (if any at all) direct box modeled plugins – which is somehow both surprising and not at the same time. With so many preamp models of plugins, why not have a direct box? Employ any session bass player and he will most likely show up with some form of the hardware in his rig. In many cases, this is because the engineer wants both a direct signal as well as an amped signal but not all D.I. boxes are equal. Sure, you can throw a bass on a Rapco or Horizon direct box and be ok, but there are better choices that have more to offer – the A-Designs REDDI falls under the latter.

This is the inspiration behind the REDDI plugin – a $775 all American direct box that is considered by many the “best D.I. box ever made”. This sturdy, red box features a 6N1-P tube amplifier directly injected into a Cinemag Transformer. This hardware unit was inspired by the Ampeg B-15 bass amp from the days of yore; but has been considered far more versatile, finding its way in both live and studio environments on everything from acoustic guitars to digital synths. The tube design combined with the Cinemag transformer takes boring, clean sounds and breathes new life into them with pleasing harmonic distortion as well as the weight of classic iron.

The plugin version aspires to recreate these same characteristics; but does only what Gregory Scott and the magic of digital modeling can do – push the plugin version to areas that would be otherwise difficult for its hardware counterpart. This plugin is great for achieving tube-like harmonic distortion to color a track. REDDI was made to get down and dirty with digital. Just like an analog direct box, the plugin version was made to be placed at the very beginning of the signal chain of your DAW, before all other processing.
The only real shared control between the hardware and software is the heart of REDDI, the “Level” knob. Although these knobs behave slightly differently, the impact of the signal is similar. With the hardware version, Output level increases with saturation – with the plugin, the output auto-levels as saturation increases.

In order to accommodate the digital realm, the plugin version of REDDI has many added controls to expand the plugin beyond just a modeled version of the hardware. To dial just the right (or in some cases wrong) amount of harmonic goodness, REDDI has included 16dB input and output knobs. While the level imparts the overall character to the track, the input is almost just as important in order to properly gain stage the incoming signal for optimal impact. To add more control over the impact, Kush has added a very novel 20dB Headroom switch that adds a 20db pad before the input and offsets the output with a 20dB boost. This results in about ¼ less distortion for a more light-handed but still warming vibe, perfect for adding some weight and presence to a vocal track when EQ alone isn’t cutting it. With any plugin centered around lower frequencies, the phase is very important. REDDI features a phase switch on the output section that is always worth a try when applying to a track. Sometimes a 180 flip can make all of the difference in a between the kick drum and bass.

All of the other controls are essential to dial in vibe and tone, but there is one control that on its own would make this plugin worth every bit of the price tag. Coincidentally positioned as the lowest knob, the “Bass” control is a freak of nature. This knob does not behave like an ordinary low-frequency shelf. This is due in part to the signal flow inside of REDDI. This low shelf pushes the sub frequencies in the track without overpowering the rest of the signal. I am fairly positive there is more than just a fixed frequency gain boost applied to this knob. To my ears, it sounds like a portion of the boosted low end is being added to the distortion circuit. When turned up the signal doesn’t get louder, it simply gets FATTER – turned down and the signal gets more focused on the harmonic distortion. It never sounds too thin or boomy. While the low shelf is tuned for bass, just about any track can benefit from a little love from below by REDDI. I have quite a list of plugins that are JUST made for this one function that can’t hold a candle to the Bass knob on REDDI. My kick drum will never be the same.

I’m sure at this point you are asking “Are we dealing with just some model of an expensive direct box?” Absolutely not. What we have is an example of a plugin developer being a fan of a piece of gear and using the best parts of it to create a whole new tool. Kudos to A-Designs for letting Kush run wild with their imagination. While I’ve never been fortunate enough to use the hardware REDDI, this plugin makes me want one. Sure, I understand that the Kush version has bells and whistles that the hardware doesn’t but there is an overall attitude this box brings that I want more of in my life. On kick drum and bass, the plugin version is everything a low-frequency enhancement tool should be. With the Pad engaged, kick and bass get a nice round tone that adds just a little heft. With the Level halfway, the Bass at 3 o’ clock and no pad, a kick drum pushes its way to the exact spot needed in the mix, complete with sub frequency for days and a little breakup on the transient “snap”. The best description I can give to what REDDI does to instruments is “weight”.

Just like its hardware counterpart, it works for more than just bass. Sterile tracks get a nice layer of gel applied to throw a little “tint on the windows”. There is just “something” REDDI brings to the table that is tough to describe. Having trouble getting a track’s balance to fit in the mix? Add just a little level and bass to it. Your acoustic guitar tracks will love the level pushed even in generous amounts. Apply it to the first slot of your mix bus with the headroom engaged and bypass all other plugins initially. The results will speak for themselves. As I kept adding REDDI to older mixes, I found that some of the other plugins I had originally on inserts suddenly weren’t needed anymore. There is a very specific thing REDDI does that other plugins just don’t do.

I hate that I don’t have any gripes and only great things to say about this plugin… I don’t want to come across as a shill for Kush, but I can’t make up gripes or issues. Feel free to get a free trial and personally send me any legitimate critiques and I’ll post them in this review. Actually, I have a lateral gripe that is quasi-related to REDDI. Kush needs to put a ¼” jack on the front of the Omega Pre because these two products belong together on bass. There… I griped.

Overall REDDI has its own vibe and applies it without overpowering a track. While it can’t be used solely to mix a song, I bet once you get your hands on it, you won’t want to mix without it. The controlled punch it adds to low-end content makes it both an easy and necessary choice when reaching for plugins. Combine it with the A-Designs Hammer by Kush and thank me later.

For more information on A-Designs REDDI by Kush, visit http://www.thehouseofkush.com/plugins/reddi
For more information on the A-Designs REDDI Direct Box, visit http://www.adesignsaudio.com/reddi-all-tube-direct-box
To laugh and learn about all things life, love and audio, please, if you click any link, visit https://www.ubkhappyfuntimehour.com/

Spitfire Chamber Strings Professional

By
Bryan
-

Spitfire Audio is proud to announce availability of SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL — a core patch-strengthening professional edition of the encyclopaedic super deep-sampled set of string articulations and techniques taken from recordings of 16 of the finest strings players playing the finest instruments via the finest signal path at Lyndhurst Hall within London’s legendary AIR Studios, served up with four additional microphone positions and three CPU-friendly stereo mixes by award-winning engineer Jake Jackson as an advanced sample-based virtual instrument for Native Instruments’ industry-standard KONTAKT PLAYER platform (compatible with the NKS® extended plug-in format allowing advanced integration with NI’s KONTROL keyboard controllers) to give a hugely diverse range of signals for all sounds.
For many musicians, the word ‘chamber’ can conjure up mental images of white wigs and harpsichords; however, in modern vernacular it simply describes a group of instruments that is smaller than a symphony orchestra — anything from a quartet to 40-odd players. Placed into the context of strings, it is generally taken to mean a medium-sized ensemble encompassing five sections — 1st violins, 2nd violins, violas, cellos, and basses.
By way of brief background, Spitfire Audio itself was basically built upon a (still-ongoing) chamber strings sampling project close to its collective heart. Why? Well, many musical friends, including A-list composers, complained that sampled strings were unwieldy, ill-defined, and too epic. For much of their musical output — from sensitive and achingly-beautiful quiet passages through to searing lyricism — they did not need huge numbers of players but rather attention to detail — difficult in a developing sampled world where an abundance of symphonic solutions more often than not tryingly tripled and quadrupled when playing lots of notes. Not an ideal scenario by any stretch.
So Spitfire Audio set about lending a helping hand by setting themselves the difficult task of recording a chamber strings range, which was then shared as part of a private project with its closest colleagues. Come show-and-tell time, considerable optimism and encouragement ensued. Even though it still sounded ‘kind of big’ to some, Spitfire Audio doggedly dug deeper into its chamber strings project, posing pertinent questions. Questions like: How small can we go before it no longer sounds like a string section? Turns out that 4, 3, 3, 3, 3 was the magic number — namely, four 1st VIOLINS, three 2nd VIOLINS, three VIOLAS, three CELLOS, and three BASSES, born out of a desire to create the finest chamber strings project to provide that sought-after Widescreen Hollywood sound with a clarity and ability that is harder to articulate with larger-sized string libraries. Small can be beautiful, after all.
By bringing together a uniquely intimate group of extraordinary players, putting them in one of the most extraordinary recording locations — London’s legendary AIR Studios’ Lyndhurst Hall, the stunning sampled results were made available for all to hear, purchase, and play as part of Spitfire Audio’s SABLE chamber strings series (R.I.P.). What was by then a four-year labour of love that had bloomed into a very detailed, difficult to maintain sampling project, 2016 saw SABLE being ‘put out to pasture’ only to be effectively ‘reborn’, rationalised and refreshed as SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS.
Fast-forwarding back to today sees SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL enhancing and providing greater flexibility to the core patches from SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS with four additional microphones available for all techniques (excluding ENSEMBLES), encompassing warm close ribbon (Cr), close stereo pair (St), and gallery (G) signals, as well as outrigger (O) signals on all techniques with the essential CTA (close tree ambient) for added warmth, creating CTAO for the ‘classic Spitfire’ setup. Saying that… that’s not all. Additionally, fine (F), medium (M), and broad (B) stereo mixes by award- winning engineer Jake Jackson are available for all techniques (excluding ENSEMBLES) for instant, great-sounding mixes with low CPU (Central Processing Unit)/RAM (Random-Access Memory) usage. This expansion contains over 150 GB of additional content to help users — professional or otherwise — make more of what was started with SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS.
Saying that, those 16 star players performing in that magical ‘chamber’ configuration, sampled with over 244 articulations, including 38 Short(s), 53 Long(s), 19 FX, and 45 extraordinary Legato patches perfectly programmed by renowned UK composer Andrew Blaney are all present and correct in SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL. All are recorded with multiple round robins, dynamic layers, and now presented with seven versatile microphone positions. In addition to each individual section, Spitfire Audio has again seen fit to include a comprehensive selection of articulations and techniques presented as ENSEMBLES, designed for sketching and composing with ‘out of the box’ satisfaction guaranteed.
As far as Spitfire Audio is collectively concerned, its ever-evolving chamber strings project has always been worthy of attention, as anyone looking to stand out from the compositional crowd will surely testify. Thanks to SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL pushing things further forward, more ears will surely be opened up to that sought-after Widescreen Hollywood sound with a clarity and ability like no other.
SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL can be purchased and digitally downloaded (as 312.0 GB of uncompressed .WAV files, featuring 242,323 samples) for a time-limited introductory promo price of £799.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$899.00 USD/€899.00 EUR (inc. VAT) until May 10, 2018 — rising thereafter to an MSRP of £899.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$999.00 USD/€999 EUR (inc. VAT) — from here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/spitfire-chamber-strings-professional/ (Customers who purchased SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS before April 26, 2018 are eligible to crossgrade to SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL by simply adding it to their cart, which will intelligently calculate the crossgrade price. An extra-special crossgrade price is available until May 10, 2018.)
SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL needs Native Instruments’ free KONTAKT PLAYER (5.5 or higher) — included in the purchase — to run as a fully NKSTM (NATIVE KONTROL STANDARD) supporting plug-in instrument for Mac (OS X 10.10, 10.11, or macOS 10.12 — latest update) or Windows (7, 8, or 10 — latest Service Pack, 32/64-bit), while Spitfire Audio’s free Download Manager application allows anyone to buy now and download anytime.
For more in-depth info, including some superb-sounding audio demos, please visit the dedicated SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL webpage here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/spitfire-chamber-strings-professional/
Watch Spitfire Audio ‘composer in residence’ Oliver Patrice Weder’s walkthrough of SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL here: https://youtu.be/B4D1KMZA8Lg
Watch Spitfire Audio ‘composer in residence’ Oliver Patrice Weder’s SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL ‘In Action’ video here: https://youtu.be/sQYnaSWP4Mk
Watch Spitfire Audio’s thrilling trailer video for SPITFIRE CHAMBER STRINGS PROFESSIONAL here: https://youtu.be/qMec2YfPE4g

Rob Papen Go2 Synth

By
Bryan
-


Sometimes the most obvious choice gets overlooked. Luckily Rob Papen did not overlook this great concept. Go2, is a soft-synth that displays everything in one very intuitive window. Everything it right in reach, giving creativity the stage.

In the wonderful world of synthesis according to Rob Papen — wonderfully wide-ranging as it is, there was only one type of software synthesizer missing… until now, that is! Indeed, who better to make the formal introductions to Go2, then, than the talented individual to which the company owes both its existence and also its well-known name — renowned sound designer Rob Papen himself: “The Rob Papen brand contains many synthesizers with a different focus and types of synthesis. However, they have one thing in common, which is a vast number of features. A creative synthesizer which has all controls visible, and — in many cases — easier to use out of the box, was still missing. And now it’s here. Welcome to Go2!”
Going briefly back in time, though the then-current collection of Rob Papen software synthesizers spanned many types of synthesis, each embracing many features, for some average users they could sometimes appear daunting. Make no mistake: musically-speaking, there is always something tempting about — and fun to be had with — something simple… something like Go2, perhaps?
Put it this way: when thinking back to the early Eighties, a time in which groundbreaking (and bank-breaking) synthesizers like Roland’s top-tier Jupiter-8 programmable analogue polysynth flagship flourished alongside a lot simpler — still successful — synthesizers like that same company’s now-classic (and considerably cheaper) SH-101 analogue monosynth, sometimes the less is more maxim also applied to synthesizers. Sure, with a heavily-featured synthesizer it is perfectly possible to create a less complex patch, but more often than not it takes more time to achieve that simpler result.
Reality bit hard for Rob Papen, producing Go2 as a direct result of this thinking — though Rob Papen himself is keen to put that observation into its rightful perspective. “Just because all controls are visible doesn’t mean that you’ll get bored easily with this synthesizer,” says its instigator, before moving onto its ‘edited highlights’ herewith: “Go2 offers some unique features which will make you feel intrigued to find out more. At the heart of Go2 is the OSC/XY section. This single oscillator offers a choice of two waveforms, and you can Morph in various ways between WAVE A and WAVE B. And, yes, you can use the XY section for this as well. The oscillator also has a SUB oscillator that offers two waveforms, and by using SPREAD the single oscillator turns into two oscillators, which detune from each other. The XY has many additional features, and next to the oscillator Morph you can also address it to the other parameters contained in Go2.”
Going briefly back in time, try doing that with an early-Eighties hardware synthesizer — classic or otherwise! Times clearly change, as do the creative sound-sculpting possibilities offered by always-advancing technology to deliver those stunning-sounding synthesis features found in Go2. Getting back on a more simplistic track, Rob Papen runs through some more familiar features: “We have a FILTER section with different filter types available; high-pass [HP] FILTER; AMP section with distortion that works at voice level; LFO [low frequency oscillator]; envelope [ENV]; and a modulation [MOD] matrix.”
More meaningfully, that eight-way modulation matrix allows users to dynamically alter Go2’s parameters using both internal modules, such as envelopes and LFOs, and external MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) controllers, such as pitch bend, aftertouch, and other control messages defined in the MIDI standard.
Still carrying on with his magical musical tour of Go2, Rob Papen points out that “…the envelopes inside the filter and amp section can be displayed graphically or as dials. You can also set them to exponential, which is the default setting, or linear, which is a great setting for pad sounds.”
Synth sounds, of course, can change considerably depending on how they are played, something that Rob Papen proudly puts into practice with all of its software synthesizers — quite literally in the case of Go2: “The PLAY MODE arranges how Go2 plays — either in 16-voice polyphonic [Poly] mode, Mono [monophonic] mode, Legato mode, or by using the arpeggiator [Arp]. In this section you can also find the UNISON MODE, which can be used in all the play modes. And next to this we have included special unison modes, featuring, for instance, 16 different chord types. Of course, Go2 has a creative arpeggiator [ARP] onboard, which can also work in Sequencer MODE. But what makes this arpeggiator unique is a new row, which is called chord [CHRD]. This means that now each step can have a different unison setting or a chord.”
Crossing the finish line, Rob Papen concludes, “In Go2 we also have onboard our top-notch effects. These are in series, with a CHORUS, followed by a FLANGER or a PHASER, and, last in the chain, a stereo DELAY or a top-notch REVERB. Go2 has all of its controls displayed visually, which makes it fast to work with while offering some very cool and unique features. Last, but not least, Go2 has a BANK MANAGER with some unique features. For instance, if you like a preset, you can give it a star, highlighting your favourite presets.”
Fortunately for most average users, with over 600 perfectly programmed presets sorted into BANK MANAGER folders, there’s sure to be a suitable sound or two already in there. That said, tweaking whatever you can see and hearing how whatever you tweak sounds is really what Go2’s all about. As such, it looks like Go2 is the ‘missing link’ in Rob Papen’s now-current collection of software synthesizers — surely set to become the go-to synthesizer in anyone’s musical setup!
An AAX (32-/64-bit), AU (32-/64-bit), VST (32-/64-bit) compatible audio software plug-in for Mac OS X (10.6 or higher) and Windows (Vista, 7, 8, and 10), Go2 can be purchased from authorised Rob Papen dealers worldwide or as a download directly from Rob Papen for €49.00 EUR/$49.00 USD from here: https://www.robpapen.com/buy-go2.html (Note that this is a serial/license system with activation while registering the product; a second serial/license for a secondary computer is available after registering the product’s original serial/license.)
For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated Go2 product webpage here: https://www.robpapen.com/go2.html
Watch Rob Papen’s revealing Go2 introductory video here: https://youtu.be/2VOMq3ceICM
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